It was a beautiful day in Chicago Monday with plenty of opportunities to get fresh air, but everyone was advised to make sure to prepare for ticks ahead of their relaxing walks.

Every few weeks, the Cook County Forest Preserve District posts a reminder about ticks on social media. This year, the minuscule arachnids may be more prevalent than ever — all across Illinois.

Scientists told CBS News Chicago the relatively mild winter this year did not kill as many ticks as usual. Warming temperatures due to climate change also help the arachnid survive.

Tracking just how many ticks are out there is not easy, but the public can help assess the threat with something called .

"People are very interested, because we do see the increasing number of ticks across the state —the rise in tick-borne disease," said Dr. Becky Smith, an associate pathobiology professor at the University of Illinois, who helps run The Tick App.

Users can report a tick sighting, and an expert from the University of Illinois can identify the tick.

There is also the , where users upload pictures, locations, dates, and times of tick encounters. The free service gets lots of submissions.

"It also helps us as researchers, because we know then what ticks people are finding on themselves and their pets," said Smith.

What's all the fuss about ticks? Most people have probably heard about Lyme disease, but there are other risks besides that.

"We have four vector ticks, so four ticks that can spread disease across the State of Illinois — and all four of those can carry multiple diseases, and sometimes at the same time," said Dr. Becky Smith, University of Illinois Pathobiology Department. "So we are really concerned about human health — because some of these, some of the viruses, we can't even treat."

Meanwhile, Pfizer has developed a relatively new tick vaccine called TicoVac. Could it be the answer for stopping Lyme disease?

Dr. Victoria Weston, associate chief medical officer at Northwestern Medicine, says no.

"It's meant to prevent a disease called tick-borne encephalitis," Weston explained. "That disease is not common in the United States."

Ticks in Illinois carry other infections, and tick prevention measures are a must.

Bug spray or wipes are always a good idea when going on a hike in the woods. With ticks out and about, so is wearing long pants and long sleeves — tough a sell though that may be on a beautiful summer's day.

Forest preserve visitors shared their tips Monday.

"I definitely take some bug spray, some sunscreen — whatever I can do to keep myself clean and bite-free," said forest preserve visitor Evelio Zavala.

"Stick your pants down in your socks," added forest preserve visitor Rodney Dabe. "Do a body check with you get home."

One of ticks' favorite spots to hang is on deer, which are abundant in the Chicago area. But when a deer was spotted among the walkers and bicyclists in south suburban Matteson on Monday, no one seemed particularly nervous about ticks.

However, most of the walkers and bicyclists in question planned to stay on the pavement, and were not planning to go off-roading in the tall grass where the ticks might be hiding.

What should you do if you find a tick on you? Dr. Weston said to grab some tweezers, and not to squeeze too hard while gently tugging near the tick's mouth to get its whole body off yours.

Afterward, the tick should be tossed down the toilet.

Meanwhile, the Will County Health Department explained to CBS News Chicago how it handles ticks. Its environmental health division conducts six drags a year to collect ticks through a grant program from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Any ticks collected are sent to the state's public health department to be identified. The Will County Health Department noted that Illinois typically sees black-legged or deer ticks, lone star ticks, Gulf Coast ticks, and American dog ticks.

Once identified, the ticks are tested for any pathogens.

The Will County Health Department said in 2024, its Environmental Health Division conducted six tick drags and collected 47 ticks for testing.

The Illinois Department of Public Health also has a that tracks the type of ticks found in the state and any pathogens associated with them.

• Tick Bites